My BB Storm has GPS hardware, but I can attest from using the Instamapper program that there have been many times that I cannot get a fix on my position, this has at every time coincided with my lack of cell reception. Three notable instances were on I-70 in West Kansas, a Trail above the Taos Ski basin, and on NM 60 near the VLA. According to the later reviewed instamapper log, those pings never got recorded or posted while I had no reception. The push-pins only appeared on the map in areas where the signal could be sent off. There have been lots of rides here in CO where my Insatmapper log has large holes in the route.

Recently I had trouble getting a fix using Google Maps near Capistrano Beach, CA on I-5 where I had rather poor cell reception.

So however it works, my frustration remains the same. There are several places where the instamapper/google maps can't find me, somewhat defeating the purpose of running that app on my phone.

All in all, I still use it and am satisfied with the price I paid for the app (free) but using it as a GPS or SPOT is IMO, somewhat unrealistic.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Reverse

There's no need to give them the login info. You can republish the map on a different website without anyone needing login info.

Tracks or current location is a a feature you can set when republishing the code for the map to be public. You can set up to 50 points to be published. It's at the bottom of the page where you create the code for the map.

I'll have to check that out. thanks It's currently linked to an otherwise defunct Facebook page but as of now it only publishes my most current ping. I'd love to have the last 50 points available as well.

try looking into Fire Eagle from Yahoo.net. there are a bunch of FREE programs to do these types of things for all types of phones.
I use the Yofe program on Fire Eagle, connected to all sorts of things, that don't seem to update unless you do it manually (including Google Latitude), that is why I will rely on the SPOT instead.

I just installed 'Trackr' (http://www.trackr.eu/) on my HTC Imagio, since I couldn't get Instamapper working. So far it seems to work pretty well. Fairly simple with some options I haven't explored yet. They currently support Windows Mobile, BB, and Java enabled phones, and are working on an Iphone version.

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K13 Tiger Explorer XC, K7-KLR650

Some of the more aware dinosaurs warned of the dangers of an iridium-enriched nuclear reactor. 'If this thing goes off', they warned, 'there would be nothing left but cockroaches and mammals.'

I just installed 'Trackr' (http://www.trackr.eu/) on my HTC Imagio, since I couldn't get Instamapper working. So far it seems to work pretty well. Fairly simple with some options I haven't explored yet. They currently support Windows Mobile, BB, and Java enabled phones, and are working on an Iphone version.

Have you looked into Geoterrestrial?
I run the tracking at various rates. You can let it run slowly 100% of the time in the background and not effect battery life.
It also lets you geotag photos and upload them.

Have you looked into Geoterrestrial?
I run the tracking at various rates. You can let it run slowly 100% of the time in the background and not effect battery life.
It also lets you geotag photos and upload them.

Yes, I have that also! Pretty cool program as well. It seems Trackr is a little less intensive running in the background along with other apps. It will also show your track on the web map, not just your current location, which I think is what Geoterrestrial does (unless I've missed something)..

I do like the other features of Geoterrestrial however, especially the option to geo-tag photos!

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K13 Tiger Explorer XC, K7-KLR650

Some of the more aware dinosaurs warned of the dangers of an iridium-enriched nuclear reactor. 'If this thing goes off', they warned, 'there would be nothing left but cockroaches and mammals.'

Yes, I have that also! Pretty cool program as well. It seems Trackr is a little less intensive running in the background along with other apps. It will also show your track on the web map, not just your current location, which I think is what Geoterrestrial does (unless I've missed something)..

I do like the other features of Geoterrestrial however, especially the option to geo-tag photos!

I monitored battery drain with and without Geoterrestrial (GPSToday) running. In the default update rate setting there was no measureable additional drain. (obviously it is there, just not measureable). Running the GPS at the max rate obviously does suck the battery, but you can trim back the update rate, or use the default, let it run 24/7, and never know it.

It will show your current location plus a track log if you want. It also keeps a history. So if I decide that I want a track of a trip that I took 2 months ago that I did not create a track for, I can go online, indicate what start and end times I want, then generate a track from that.

hi all, I use nokia 6210 navigator s60 3edition, and the app I like to use is nokia sport tracker, I down load trackr! from here http://www.trackr.eu and is cool app similar to sport tracker whit live shearing, makes tracks saves work outs, I gonna try trackr this sunday, thank for the info on the trackr.

I think this is a fantastic idea as long as you have cell phone coverage. Unfortunately, there are too many times in less populated areas where coverage is bad. Heck, there are portions of Oregon I rode through where I had no cell coverage for several hours.

I'd love to cram as many functions into my cell phone as possible. At $150/year for the coverage AND rea-time tracking, looks like SPOT is hard to beat.

I guess the SPOT devices have some hardware in them and not special software that allows them to communicate with these 'communications satellites' that SPOT talks about in their literature...

Quote:

Originally Posted by motosaint

I think this is a fantastic idea as long as you have cell phone coverage. Unfortunately, there are too many times in less populated areas where coverage is bad. Heck, there are portions of Oregon I rode through where I had no cell coverage for several hours.

I'd love to cram as many functions into my cell phone as possible. At $150/year for the coverage AND rea-time tracking, looks like SPOT is hard to beat.